Earnings Per Share (Calculation Of Basic And Diluted Earnings Per Share) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Oct. 13, 2011
Earnings Per Share
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$ 116,098,000	$ 93,689,000	$ 336,837,000	$ 238,748,000
Weighted-average common shares for basic earnings per share	89,935,000	91,312,000	91,094,000	91,335,000
Basic earnings per share	$ 1.29	$ 1.03	$ 3.70	$ 2.61
Incremental shares under stock compensation plans	1,023,000	770,000	996,000	794,000
Total shares	90,958,000	92,082,000	92,090,000	92,129,000
Diluted earnings per share	$ 1.28	$ 1.02	$ 3.66	$ 2.59
Declared cash dividend per share					$ 0.175
Increase in dividend rate, percentage					6.00%
Cash dividend, declared date			Oct. 13, 2011
Cash dividend, payable date			Jan. 01, 2012
Cash dividend, recorded date			Dec. 15, 2011
Repurchased shares	3,000,000		3,000,000
Value of shares repurchased	$ 178,100,000		$ 178,100,000